A-PLUS ADVICE FOR PARENTS
By Leanna LandsmannQ: Our PTO buys computers for our school and wants to buy "smart" boards. I kind of understand how they are used. Are they worth the fund-raising it would take to buy them for each classroom or are they a fad?A: SMART Board is a brand of "interactive whiteboards" -- large computerized touch screens that provide Internet access, stream video and audio presentations, allow teachers and students to write and draw with digital ink, manipulate images, scroll, save, format and e-mail.
At $5,000 a pop, administrators hope they're not a fad. According to a Greaves Group report, "America's Digital Schools, 2008," 85 percent of districts have interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in some classrooms.
The study found that students respond well to IWBs. According to the report, the boards increase students' motivation and participation, improve their social skills, reduce the need for note-taking, and increase students' self-confidence. But do they help students learn more?
Yes, if lessons are well-designed and teachers are well-prepared, says Ann Sullivan, principal of Seacliff Elementary in , Huntington, Calif. "I'm proud our teachers spent time to research, practice and validate lessons so we're confident that the technology doesn't outshine the instruction."
California educator Johnny Hamilton says, "In planning, most people only think of the board, the projector and the software, but the most important part of a digital whiteboard system is the teacher, who needs ongoing training and support." (Hamilton demonstrates IWB lessons at
www.YouTube.com/2itOnDemandTraining.)
The Greaves Report shows a digital divide among teachers, and in many schools, recent teacher-college graduates help the faculties they join get up to speed. Jamie Boykin, a new associate teacher at The Benjamin School, North Palm Beach, Fla., assumes this role. "Our school is state-of-the-art. SMART Boards help reach the new Web 2.0 generation, who need the technological stimulation."
Bill Laraway, ed-tech guru and fifth-grade teacher, Silver Oak Elementary, San Jose, isn't convinced every classroom needs an IWB. "Not all classrooms are designed for their use. Mounting and viewing angles can be a problem. Make sure all students can see them. When projectors need replacement, the newer ones may require different projection distances. This may mean removal and reinstallation of the mounting bracket to meet the new projector's specifications. Classrooms can achieve many of the same benefits with a digital projector connected to a document camera or a computer for a fraction of the cost."
Laraway suggests a few action items for your next PTO meeting:
-- Form an ad-hoc tech committee to research options. Read up. A good place to start is eschoolnews.com. What are the costs/benefits of the various devices?
-- Visit classrooms with IWBs and digital projectors. Ask for advice. What works? What would they do differently? Who are reliable vendors?
-- Ensure ongoing support for teachers. "New technology requires more than one session," says Laraway. "Partner with the vendor, district specialists and area colleges. Check for funds from federal and state or foundation grants to help pay for training."
-- Last but not least, make sure the school or district's technical support staff has the capacity to serve any new technology. (Many districts involve high-school students in tech-support teams).
